Purification of vegetable oil

Abstract

The method of degumming vegetable oil to produce an improved, degummed oil and gum with improved storage and other properties, which method includes extracting the gum with a solvent, stripping the gum from the solvent by steam under a relatively low vacuum, i.e., between 0 and 28 inches of Hg (mercury) below atmospheric pressure, and then centrifuging the gum in a desludging-type centrifuge without further addition of water. The gum thus obtained may be mixed with at least 15% acidulated fat to produce a pumpable, stable liquid having high value as an animal feed supplement.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for producing a pumpable animal feed material including the steps of extracting vegetable oil from vegetable matter with a solvent for the oil, stripping solvent from the oil with steam at a pressure from 0 to 28 inches of Hg below atomspheric pressure and at a temperature such that without further addition of H 2  O after steam stripping of the solvent, sludge hydrated to a H 2  O content between 5 percent and 15 percent is formed, separating said sludge from said oil and combining said sludge with at least 15 percent acidulated oil feed fat. 
     
     
       2. A composition consisting essentially of at least 15 percent acidulated oil feed fat and lecithin containing from about 5 percent to about 15 percent H 2  O. 
     
     
       3. The composition of claim 2 obtained from soy bean oil. 
     
     
       4. The composition of claim 2 obtained from safflower seed oil. 
     
     
       5. The composition of claim 2 obtained from sunflower seed oil. 
     
     
       6. The composition of claim 2 containing about equal weights of lecithin and acidulated oil feed fat.